Bible Studies

Paul's Exhortations & Instructions to Brother Timothy 1st Letter Volume 1

by Clifford Tate 
02/03/18
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Paul Greets Brother Timothy

1 Timothy 1:1-2 Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope; Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. KJV

There are a total of 27 Books in the New Testament and the Apostle Paul is the author of 14 of those letters. Four (4) of those letters were written to a person and the remaining ten (10) were written to entire Churches. All four (4) personal letters are recorded in the Bible one after the other. We have come to the first of Paul's letters written to a single person and this person is Brother Timothy or Timotheus as he is referred to in the Scripture. His name is mentioned in the Scripture some 28 times total. Paul begins his first letter to Timothy in the same manner as he did with most of the Churches he wrote to by acknowledging who he was 'in Christ' with these words, "Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;" (1 Timothy 1:1) (KJV). Let's remind ourselves what a true 'Apostle' meant then and means now. The little phrase 'an Apostle' Paul uses to describe, declare, and define himself as is translated by the Greek word apostolos meaning a delegate; specifically an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ (Apostle), (with miraculous powers): - Apostle, messenger, he that is sent.

Paul was unique from the other disciples of Christ, in that, he (like Peter, James, John, etc.) had seen the Risen Christ and was given miraculous or miracle working power by the Holy Spirit that worked through him. This was not because Paul was special or more loved by our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ, but because it was in the Sovereign purpose, priority, and plan of our Lord Jesus Christ as the Apostle Paul acknowledges when he writes 'by the commandment of God our Saviour'. The little phrase 'the commandment' is translated by the Greek word epitage which means an injunction or decree; by implication authoritativeness: - authority, commandment. In other words, Paul was selected by our Lord Jesus Christ to carry out the plan of God as a priority to Him to get His Will done for that time and place specifically, so He did then with other people in other places, just as He does today and in every generation and era to accomplish His purposes. Our hope, that is, our confident expectation now and for all eternity rest in and can only be found in our Lord Jesus Christ as John Wesley puts it, "The author, object, and ground, of all our hope."

Now Paul begins to declare to Brother Timothy how he sees him and feels about him as a fellow follower of Jesus Christ beginning with these words, "Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Timothy 1:2) (KJV). The Apsotle Paul referred to those who were born again by God the Holy Spirit under his preaching of the Gospel of Grace as his 'sons', just as he did of the brethren in Corinth at the same time sending Timothy to them and declaring to the Corinthian believers Timothy to be his son in the faith with these words, "I do not write this to shame you, but to warn {and} counsel you as my beloved children. After all, though you should have ten thousand teachers (guides to direct you) in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the glad tidings (the Gospel). So I urge {and} implore you, be imitators of me. For this very cause I sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and trustworthy child in the Lord, who will recall to your minds my methods of proceeding {and} course of conduct {and} way of life in Christ, such as I teach everywhere in each of the Churches." (1 Corinthians 4:14-17) (Amplified Bible). The little English phrase 'my own' Paul uses in verse 2 (speaking of Timothy) is translated by the Greek word gnesios meaning legitimate (of birth), that is, genuine: - own, sincerity, true. Paul greets Timothy in this first letter much the same as he does the letters he writes to the Churches, except here (for his son in the faith Timothy) Paul adds that God the Father would grant to him not only grace and peace, but mercy which is the most tender of our Heavenly Father's graces to us, for it includes in it God's compassion to us weak, wayward, and wanting human creatures.

"The relation of Paul to Timothy is an example of one of those beautiful friendships between an older and a younger man, in which each is the complement of the other. Timothy was a lad of fifteen when converted at Lystra, and was probably about thirty-five years of age when this Epistle was addressed to him. He was enthusiastic and devoted but at times showed signs of timidity, and the Apostle watched over him with tender interest." F. B. Meyer

"Some have observed that whereas in all the epistles to the Churches the apostolical benediction is grace and peace, in these two epistles to Timothy and that to Titus it is grace, mercy, and peace: as if ministers had more need of God's mercy than other men. Ministers need more grace than others, to discharge their duty faithfully; and they need more mercy than others, to pardon what is amiss in them: and if Timothy, so eminent a minister, must be indebted to the mercy of God, and needed the increase and continuance of it, how much more do we ministers, in these times, who have so little of his excellent spirit!" Matthew Henry

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…